Alignment of surfaces is a problem in a variety of fields, ranging from construction to interior decorating. Alignment is necessary for walls that should be perpendicular to a floor, or otherwise plumb. Masonry and brick-laying practitioners are well aware of the importance of plumbed and aligned surfaces and typically use chalk lines to achieve these results. Likewise, a home interior decorated with pictures and other wall ornamentation has a better appearance when the ornamentation is aligned. While many mechanical, electrical and laser alignment devices are available, some of these products may not be suitable for certain uses. Chalk lines, for instance, are sometimes undesirable for use in finished, interior areas.
Laser alignment devices may lack the ability to work around obstructions. That is, if a wall-hanging, such as a picture frame, interrupts the laser beam, the laser beam may be blocked from further projection. In this case, it is necessary to mark locations or heights, one by one, rather than working with the actual objects, in order to align them. Obstructions may include moldings placed in a doorway, picture frames in the way of those being aligned on one horizontal line, the operator of the device, or even textured or stuccoed surfaces on interior walls.
There are devices that direct a laser beam parallel to but away from a surface requiring alignment. A marker device or detector component may be used to sight the beam and mark corresponding locations on the wall adjacent the beam. Use of such a device requires multiple components and at least two people, one to align the laser device and another to mark the wall. Moreover, the wall itself requires marking with this method.
Another problem with aligning objects is aligning objects in two planes simultaneously. For instance, one may wish to align objects on a wall and simultaneously align their placement on the wall with respect to a feature on a floor or another wall. At the same time, a user may wish to note the location of the two planes, such as an intersection of the planes, so that the intersection point may be marked or otherwise used. Noting the location of the intersection of the two planes would make it easier for a user to mark a single location, or to mark a series of locations, in order to align objects on a wall, to site walls on a floor, or, in a general sense, to align objects on one plane with respect to one or more other planes or surfaces.
What is desired is a convenient, easy-to-level laser device that generates two or more light beams useful for aligning objects. The aligning device would preferably be lightweight and portable, and would not require an external power source for operation. The aligning device should make it easy to align objects in one plane with respect to another plane, using two intersecting beams.